Marvin Bender…February 29, 1940 – May 12, 2013

Marvin Bender passed away at his home in Holly, Colorado on May 12, 2013.  He was 73….or in leap years, 18. 
Memorial services for Marvin will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 17^th, 2013, at Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel in Holly, CO.  Reverend Eugene Birt will officiate.

A memorial service for Marvin Bender will also be in Britton, SD on Monday, July 1st, 2013, at the First Lutheran Church of Britton. Reverend Terrill Sorensen will officiate. Inurnment will take place at the Britton Cemetery, where he will join his wife for all eternity.

Marvin Bender was born to Reiny and Frieda (Meidinger) Bender in Aberdeen, SD on February 29^th, 1940.  The oldest of 5, he grew up a farmer in northeastern South Dakota.   After several moves, his parents settled on a farm east of Britton.  He went to school in Britton and then onto a diesel program in Fargo, ND, while continuing to help on the farm.  In his late teens, he joined the Army National Guard with several buddies, and served for seven years in the Howitzer Service Battery motor pool.           

Marvin married Valera K. Behnke of Britton on December 28, 1963.  Early in their marriage they lived in Britton and in ’65 purchased the Behnke homestead, 4 miles east of Britton and began farming.   Along with their acreage, they also raised stock cows, feeder hogs and various other types of livestock – along with three children.           

He was very much an entrepreneur but always a farmer at heart.  He and Val owned several other businesses, including Britton Livestock Auction, Bender Trucking and a custom harvesting business, harvesting wheat with John Deere combines from Texas to SD each summer.  He also partnered and farmed with several of his family members for a number of years.  While in Britton, Marvin was a member of the First Lutheran Church.            

After the children had graduated from High School, he and Val moved to Syracuse, Kansas in ’87 and shortly thereafter to Holly, Colorado, where he continued his trucking business up until 2012.  He and Val also owned and operated several other businesses in Holly.            

Marvin enjoyed fast cars younger in life, and then on the farm, built and repaired many things in his shop.  He was always chasing the next dollar – but loved nothing more than farming – and his faithful four-legged companion, Kalli whom was always by his side.             

He is survived by his three children, Shawnlee (Donnie) Hammit of Holly, CO; Bradley (Jane) Bender of Glendale, AZ; Candie (Randy) Beck of Hecla, SD; 10 grandchildren, Sara Leigh, Philip Muth, Ryan (Kim) Hammit, Casey (Patricia) Hammit, Dylan Hammit, Zach and Gage Bender, Katie, Kaylin, and Anthony Beck; five great-grandchildren, Maleia Buer, Maddix Delbrune, Kallie Mackner, Millie Leigh, Mackenzie Hammit, and 3 great-grandchildren to join the family this summer; two sisters, Diane (Richard) Rath of Arvada, CO and LaVonne (Roger) Furman of Britton, SD; two brothers, Oscar (Donna) Bender of Parker, AZ and Arlie (Lorene) Bender of Britton, SD; many other relatives and a host of friends.          

Preceding him in death are his parents and wife.             

Memorial donations may be made to Lamar Area Hospice and Holly Fire and Ambulance Fund in care of Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 950, Lamar, CO 81052.           

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel in Holly, Colorado.  For more information or to leave online condolences please visit www.valleymemorialfc.com.